The British journal of dermatology
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Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with abnormal vascular expansion in the papillary dermis. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a proinflammatory cytokine that can induce antiapoptotic proteins and endothelial cell activation factors in psoriasis. ⋯ The present findings suggest that treatment with etanercept induces apoptosis, reduces apoptosis-inhibiting factors in psoriatic endothelial cells, and decreases angiogenesis in psoriatic skin.